Cause and Effect
by Anime.101.org
Summary: It was only a matter of time before Gon realized the mess he got himself into. Ging knew that his son was missing but he was scared to go look for him. Afraid to find out that he had been kidnapped, or worse, a victim of foul play. Kurapika is willing to help, but can they get to him, before it's to late?
1. Chapter 1

The boy raised his head to follow the headlights that probed the sky as the car came over the hill. He wished that it would turn into the lane that would bring it to where he laid. He held his breath, prepared to duck and hide out of sight the moment the headlights turned his way.

He swore inaudibly and moved his way back into the ditch as the car moved by and continued on. He was by the side of a road that very little to almost no traffic, and that was the way it had been since he had crawled into position. Maybe the occasional car would pass, taking a shortcut the ought the countryside or just one of the farmers returning home. Whatever the reason was, every car had passed by the open gate without so much slowing down, or turning in.

There hadn't been any sign of activity in the old cabin atop the hill. There wasn't even a single light, and he was straying to wonder if his informant was wrong...

Or maybe it was some sort of silly, elaborate, out-minded hoax that his informant had played on him... But he didn't quite get the point...

He let out a soft chuckle. Informant. He really did like that word; liked the sound of it; the way it rolled off his tounge in a professional tone. That's exactly what he wanted to be: professional.

He looked at his watch with the aid of a lighter he had found earlier in his book bag. Five damn hours, and nothing to show for it, other than an aching back and soaking wet clothes. He ran a hand through his once spiked up hair not wet and flat over his face from the rain storm that commended fifteen to twenty minutes earlier. Maybe more since he wasn't really sure. Add a conviction that would surely end up with double pneumonia. To stay any longer would be stupid, that's what he told himself, yet here he was...

He let out a soft groan. To leave would be just his lick, then find out he had been impatient. If his informant was right, he would have to be extra cautious. Even if it was just a hoax, so he might as well stick to it after midnight.

 _One o'clock..._

That's what he told himself, if nothing happened then he would pack it up and go home.

He scooted back into the ditch and pulled the ground sheet over and around himself. It did absolutely nothing to protect himself from the cold, but just the act of wrapping it around himself, gave him the illusion of warmth.

It had been over 50 times that he had checked his watch, and by twelve thrifty he had had enough. Never mind staying until one o'clock. He was leaving now before he froze half to death.

He reached for his book bag, and groped the ground around him to make sure he wasn't leaving anything behind. He struggled to stand, almost falling over on his face. His entire body was numb, and feet felt like stone bricks. It took a couple minutes of massaging them, and stomping them on the ground to really feel them again.

He looked toward the cabin at the top of the hill, before continuing on down the lane. He paused. Was that a flicker of light that he just saw? The cabin wasn't very visible against the dark midnight skyline, along with the waning moon in the sky, but just for second...

He stood, still staring into the dark. Nothing was there... Figures. It was just his imagination. He moved and continued down the lane with stealth. He wasn't quite sure why though, since he almost 100% positive that no one could see him in the dark clothes that he was wearing. Maybe the amount of time he was spending here was getting to his head.

He knew his informant was going to be upset- no, furious with him for not finding anything, but at the moment he didn't really care. He was wet and cold and his whole body hurt like hell, and nothing, absolutely _nothing_ to show for it.

He didn't even know who he was looking for. His informant left in the middle of the meeting. They were looking over pictures of the suspected vehicle, when he pushed himself out of his chair and mumbled, "Got to go..." Then as if he was reassuring him, he added, "Just going to the Restroom." And he never came back. After asking his father- no, Ging, what had hapened, he just patted the teens head and said, "Just look for the car that turns into the gate." And he also left, leaving him with no information.

So here he was making his way back to his van. There was no point in trying to avoid being seen since no one could see him, but just as an extra precaution, he kept close to the low stone wall.

There were still many hazards like rabbit holes, or grazing sheep, so really the last thing he needed was to break his foot or leg tripping over one of them.

He pressed himself against a tree to keep hidden as a pair of headlights came over the hill. It wasn't a two door large pick-up truck, like his informant had told him, but rather small sedan, so he figured it wouldn't turn into the gates. He continued to walk ahead making each step as quiet as he could.

He paused as the sedan rolled to a stop. He blinked. Slowly the car's headlights came turning his way.

It was turning in!

Then as if on cue, he ran himself back to his ditch, and dived in, causing an audible crack in his index finger, but right now that didn't matter. He was ready, ready to stop whatever the hell was going on.

He ducked his head as the car passed him, and made it's way up the hill towards the cabin ahead. He was scared, very scared...

He heard a car door open, close, and a few voices of grown men he couldn't understand.

He flicked as he saw a light in one of the cabins turn on. Slowly he step, testing each step, before continuing on. He began to get more excited as the voices of the men became more clear. Good, that meant he was getting closer.

He came along the side of the house, and turned his head to hear the men better.

"What are we going to do with a this?" The first one said, "None of our buyers are going to want that much."

He could hear the frustration in the man's voice.

"I know someone.." The second man said, "Ging, I think his name was..."

 _Ging?_

"Oh yeah I know him!" The first one said, "He loves to buy this-" Suddenly they stopped, and it was quiet... The silence was deafening, and the teen began to feel uneasy.

A twig snapped behind him.

He whipped around to see who it was, but before his eyes could adjust, a flash a white sent him into blackness...


	2. Chapter 2

Ging was scared. Scared for Gon, scared for his subordinates but mostly scared for his life. Because Gon was missing. The best agent in the entire company was _missing._

He wasn't sure how it happened, since Gon didn't even tel anyodidn't letwas going to leave. He took a step into his office and found that he wasn't in there... That was two days ago...

He gulped... He stood outside the boss's door. The infamous Kurapika Kurta.

Slowly he lifted his hand to knock on the door. Slightly hesitant at first, but then placed three soft knocks. "Mr. Kurta?" He didn't hear anything at first. Was he not loud enough? Or maybe he wasn't here today? Or-

"Come in."

Ging released a breath he didn't even realize he was holding, and slowly opened the door. He popped his head in and looked around. He wasn't here.

Confused, he opened the door wider to have a better look, Finding nothing, he turned to leave.

"I'm down here, Ging."

Oh.

He walked over to his boss's desk and looked over, and there he was, sitting on the floor with stacks of papers around him. He looked pissed.

 _Damn._

"Better make it quick. I'm on the phone with someone right now." He hushed something under his breath and uttered a quick "mhm". To the person on the other end. He stood there for a while, not saying anything, just sort of watching the blond do his work. It really wasnt fair. Kurapika was almost ten full years younger than him, yet some how managed to get higher up the career ladder than him. He admired him fof that.

"Ging, hurry with what you were going to tell me, I havs work to do." Kurapika's voice startled him from his thoughts.

Ging nodded and sucked in a breath.

"Um..." Ging started, his body starting to tremble. He didn't want to tell him. No, no, no. Definitely did not. "Um..." He repeated. He flinched when he head Kurapika let out a frustrated sigh.

"Ging..."

Ging took in a big gulp of air, "Gon is missing! I have no clue where he is!"

Kurapika visibly stiffened, and looked up at him. His black contacts seemed to staring holes into his body. He didn't say anything for a while, instead just choosing to stare at Ging with an unreadable expression on his face. Ging could even hear the person on the other end barking about something, but Kurapika didn't seem to notice. It stayed this way for a while, Ging could have sworn Kurapika did not blink once.

"What?" He finally said.

Ging gulped, "G-Gon... Is missi-"

" _Missing?!"_ Kurapika yelled, "You've got to be joking, God dammit, Ging, please tell me you're joking!"

Ging rocked back and forth on his feet _._ What should he say? Here he was staring his boss, the one who owned the entire company, right in the eye. This could get him fired. No.. It will get him fired. Gon had been missing for two days now without a trace.

"I'm afraid I'm not joking, Mr. Kurta." He replied, just waiting for the burst of anger to come from the blond. Surprisingly, there was none. "Mr. Kur-"

"How long has he been gone?" Kurapika snapped, making Ging flinch.

 _Two days,_ thought Ging, "About sixteen hours..." He lied. Maybe that would make him calm down a little, but he highly doubted it, "Sir..."

"Ging, I'd appreciate it if you don't lie to me." _Shit..._ "how long has he been gone?"

Ging gulped. Should he lie? Should he tell the truth? Kurapika wasn't really a forgiving person, in fact, all of the other big business companies absolutely hate him. As proof, there has already been fifteen recorded attempts to take the bosses life in the past eight months. Three of them were his own employees.

Ging flinched a seconded time when Kurapika sucked in a shaky breath of air. It was so loud, you could probably hear it outside the door.

"Ging, don't make me repeat myself..." He growled. "You know I dont like to repeat myself..." He narrowed his eyes as if to prove his point. "How long has he been gone?"

Ging looked down at his feet. No one, but Kurapika could make him as nervous as he was. He was jealous of people like that.

He looked up again, "Two days..." He took a step back, as Kurapika widened his eyes in disbelief.

Kurapika sat down in his office chair and put his phone to his ear, hanging up with the person on the other end, saying a quick, "I'll call you back", and slaming the phone down onto the receiver.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he shook his head and muttered something under his breath. There was silence for a few seconds. "Ging..." He started, standing to be level with the older man, "You will help me look for him, and when im not around, you will spend every minute searching for your son."

"Right..." Ging turned to leave. He had placed his hand the doorknob, when Kurapika spoke up again.

"One more thing..." He waited until until Ging turned to face him,

"Your fired." Ging looked up to meet Kutapika's eyes. Instead of finding complete anger, he also foumd a hint of sadness as if he didnt want to say what he had said, "Please have your things packed and out of your office in the next two days."

Ging let his head fall, "Undrstood..." He opened the door and left the room silently. He understood, alright.

He made his say down the hall, not knowing what to think. He had just gotten fired for crying out loud, and he didn't say anything in his defense to stop it from happening. On top of that, his own son was missing, and he had absolutely no idea where he was. Everyone was right. He was a piece of shit father.

His memory trailed back to the time Gon had mentioned to him about wanting to join him with his work. At first Ging was reluctant to letting him, but after a while he let it happen. After all, what kind of fatjer would he be if he didn't let his son follow his own dreams? He'd be a real piece of shit.

His fast forwarded two years to the time that him and Gon had been sent to do a misson together. He was fourteen at this time. The same time that Ging had went on nis first mission with someone else. He didnt really remember who it was, but whoever ot was didnt make it as fun as Ging made it for him and his son. They told storioes the entire time about eachothers adventures. That was the first time In forever that Ging really felt that he and Gon had a true connection with each other.

His memory rewinded some years to the time where Gon was only two years old. The time he had first called Ging his 'Dada'. That moment itself made Ging's dam inside of him break, and next thing you know, he was pouring tears all over the two year old's face. It was too bad his mother wasn't there to see it. She would have wanted to see how her little boy grew up to be a mixture of the two of them.

He made his way to his office and opened the door. This was it. He was done, and soon another person would take his place. It was pretty depressing thinking abou it, so he chose not to.

Sucking in a breath of air for lime the millionth that day, he made his way over to the window overlooking the parking lot, and sighed. He grabbed and onld box from his closet and began throwing things inside. His posters, his knickknacks, and all his pictures had had on his desk.

Picking up the last frame, he was about to throw into the box, when his eyes caught contact with the little boy in the picture. It was a picture of the two of them, taken by aunt Mito. He remembered that day like it was yesterday. It was the middle of winter, and Ging had decided to take his son sledding for the first time. Gon had a blast, making snowmen with Ging, and Snow angels with aunt Mito.

Setting the picture back down on the desk, a warm tear slipped out of his eyes, down his cheek and chin, then to shatter on the carpet floor. Soon enough, he was sobbing.

 _Gon..._ He thought, _Where are_ _you_?


End file.
